Richard Leroy McConnell was born on February 21, 1950 in Wichita, KS to Alice Mae Stam and Jewell Dean McConnell. He was greeted in heaven by our Lord and Savior in the very early morning of April 19, 2020.

He attended school in Wichita and Halstead, where he met his wife of 51 years. Gaylene Farber and Rick (as everyone called him) were married on August 23, 1968 at the First Presbyterian Church in Derby, KS. This union created three beautiful children.

Rick was a hard worker all his life. The past 30 years were spent in some capacity in the oilfield. He retired six years ago but continued to keep involved in the oil business in one form or another.

Rick loved to play pitch, go to the casino, go fishing, but most of all to spend time with family. He loved those Sunday afternoons when everyone would come home.

He was a smart man always trying to fix something. There were not too many things that once Rick put his mind to it, he could not do. He got to spend his last day on his boat at Kaw Lake fishing with his best friend, Mike Bartelson.

Rick is survived by his loving wife, Gaylene of Wellington; three children, Tamara (Tami) Kaye Barker and husband Todd of Wichita, KS, Richard Wayne McConnell and wife Kristi of Derby, KS, and Brooke Melene Spellmeyer and her husband John of Derby, KS; six grandchildren, Taryn Zweygardt and husband Cayle, Trayce Cornejo, Tanner Barker, Jayden Cornejo, Page McConnell and fiance Josh Mark, and Andrew Spellmeyer and his wife Sumi; two great grandchildren that held his heart, Collins and Rhett Zweygardt; two sisters, Carol Deakins of Monkey Island, OK and Janet McConnell of Derby, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Billie Ann Lopez.

Cremation will take place with services to follow later.

A memorial has been established with the American Heart Association in lieu of flowers.  Contributions can be left at or mailed to the funeral home.

Frank Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.